Richard Shindelar

Wednesday, December 7, 2022 5:21 pm

Richard Shindelar, age 82, of Calmar passed away on Dec. 6, 2022, at Ossian Senior Hospice.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m., Monday, Dec. 12, 2022, at St. Aloysius Catholic Church, 304 South Maryville Street, Calmar, with Rev. Henry Huber presiding. Burial will be in the church cemetery with military rites. Visitation will be from 3 to 6 p.m., on Sunday, Dec. 11, at the Helms Funeral Home, French Chapel, 202 South Washington St., in Calmar, and also after 9:30 a.m. on Monday at the church. 

Richard Paul Shindelar was born Aug. 24, 1940, the youngest child of Albert and Helen (Ruzicka) Shindelar, the first of his family to be born at the Decorah Hospital. Some of his favorite memories growing up included playing football, running track and attending many dances with family and friends. He attended Calmar High School graduating in 1958. He joined the Army in 1959 and served for 3 years. He met his future wife at a dance in Spillville and on July 13, 1963 they were married at Our Lady of Seven Dolors Church in Festina.

Joyce and Richard farmed on the Shindelar Family Farm while they raised their six children. In addition to farming, Richard also worked at Camcar as a machine operator until retirement. Richard was a devoted father who taught his six children many lifelong skills including working hard, the importance of faith and family, and the value of knowing how to play 500! (No Trump king). He shared his hobbies of woodworking, squirrel hunting and fishing with his children/grandchildren and was their biggest fan at their many sporting events. Richard has been remembered as a man of few words with a gentle loving smile.

Richard is survived by his six children, Brian (Lori) Shindelar of Decorah, Randy (Tricia) Shindelar of Plainview, Minn.; Alan (Jill) Shindelar of Calmar; Sheri (Chris) Lask of New Lenox, Ill., Marty (Jessica) Shindelar of Stewartville, Minn., and Shannon Shindelar of Lakeville, Minn.; 17 grandchildren: Karissa (Vince) Junior, Karah (Andrew) Meyer , Katrina (Alex) Jech, Shawn (Fiancé, Elli Jennings), and Seth Shindelar, Makenzie (Drew) Hurley and Morgan Shindelar (Fiancé, Brandon Jech),  Samantha (Tanner) Phillips and Brittany Shindelar (Fiancé,Tanner Kuennen), Caleb and Cameron Lask, Jason, Audrey, Danika and Lucas Shindelar, Ashley and Lexi Van Straten; three great-grandchildren: Lorraine Junior, Noah Hurley, and Ruth Meyer; his siblings and siblings-in-law: Gertrude Holthaus, Joe (Arlene) Shindelar, Al (Fran) Shindelar, Helen Zbornik, Marian Heying, Emily Heying, Elaine Heying, Richard (Linda) Heying, Marcia (Larry) Havel, and Don (Carolyn) Heying.

Richard was preceded in death by his wife, Joyce, parents, Albert and Helen (Ruzicka) Shindelar; brothers and sisters: Albert Shindelar, Francis Shindelar, Marie (Paul) Tieskotter, Anselm (Marge) Shindelar, Cyril Shindelar, Art Holthaus, Adrian Zbornik and Theresa Ruzicka-Hauer; and sisters and brothers-in-law: Hugo and Lucille Heying, Larry Heying, Irvin Heying, and Cleo Heying; Ruth and Ray Langreck, Kay and Stan Humpal, Elsie and Donald Timp, Rosalyn and Gene Bodensteiner.